The 10 Most Insane Delicacies In the World

The world we live in is filled with different people with their own unique tastes. Today, we explore that quite literally. We bring you some of the most unconventional delicacies the world has to offer. Some of these will tickle your tastebuds while others will put you off eating altogether, but every single one is bizarre. Are you adventurous enough to try them all? Read on to find out! The 10 Most Insane Delicacies Across the World!

10. Fried Tarantula

While spiders can be such interesting creatures, there are many who are terrified of these eight-legged crawlies. Cambodiansare definitely not part of that crowd, though as “A-ping” or deep fried tarantula is highly popular street fare in their country. The tarantulas are either chopped up and eaten legs only, or eaten as a whole. Both methods involve gratuitous amounts of deep frying. thoroughly in vats of oil. Why anyone would ever think to deep fry a spider the size of their hand is beyond us, but there you have it.

9. Century Egg

Century Egg, Mmmmmm Old Nasty Egg!

Look at this yummy, protein-filled egg. Looks good enough to cook and eat now, doesn’t it? Let’s bury it in the ground with some clay and ash and see what it tastes like after several weeks! We’re not entirely sure, but it seems like that’s what the Chinese were thinking when they came up with Century Egg. These eggs are buried in a mixture of quicklime, clay, ash and salt until the white turns into a translucent brown and the yolk turns dark green. We have no idea wanted to bury their food before eating it, but Century Egg is a common appetizer for the Chinese.

8. Casu Marzu
There is a traditional cheese native to Sardinia that truly deserves to be on this list. Called Casu Marzu, which literally translates to “rotten cheese”, this cheese has a very unusual filling. While Italians may be known for their liveliness and braggadocio, they’re not exaggerating when they call Casu Marzu rotten. The sheep milk is literally left to rot until cheese fly larvae grow inside it, breaking down the fat. The resulting fermented cheese is considered a real delicacy in those parts. No wonder Italians are so robust- just think of all that extra protein in one dish. Yum yum!

7. Boodog

The Boodog dish hails from Mongolia, where they certainly know how to turn up the head. A goat or marmot is slowly roasted in its own skin. How, you ask? Mongolians creating a meat sack with the body of a goat, then place hot rocks inside the stomach to cook it from within. It looks like they took the Big Bad Wolf’s story a little too seriously. Smaller stones are fit into the upper legs as well, and the animal’s fur is torched away. It’s a wonder they don’t end up with an entirely charred piece of meat with all the heat involved in this recipe!

6. Balut

Balut Baby Chick Delicacy

A popular aphrodisiac in Southeast Asia, Balut has earned a solid reputation for being one of the craziest (and most disgusting, to some) street food out there. What looks like a regular egg is actually a semi-developed duck embryo boiled alive. The age of the duck varies, but the method in which it is cooked is the same. Filipinos prefer a 17-day old duck, while the Vietnamese cook 21-day old ducks with bones and feathers to crunch on. It supposedly has a uniquely savoury taste, if you can stand looking at a dead baby duck long enough to keep it down. Don’t knock what you haven’t slurped!

5. Yak Penis

Yak: “You Want to Eat What?”

If there’s anything that can be said about the Chinese, it’s that they’re brave. From buried eggs to animal genitals, it seems they’re willing to cook and eat anything. The thought that people willingly serve up and eat Yak penis (much less pay for it) is truly astounding. That’s right- Yak penis is a prized delicacy served in the Guolizhuang Restaurant in Beijing, and often cut out in the shape of stars. Also called “Dragon in the Flame of Desire”, the fancy name does nothing for our appetite. We have no desire for this dish other than throwing it in the flames, dragon be damned.

4. Goat Head

BBQ Goat Head: So Goaty!

You have to hand it to the South Africans- they’re definitely not wasteful! Why eat the various organs and body parts of an animal, but leave out the face? One of the delicacies they serve up is Goat Head, where the animal’s head is completely charred and served for eating. “Eurgh, goat head,” you say. “Why would I want to eat something that would be staring back at me the whole time?” Well, the cooks who came up with this dish have got your back. They’re considerate enough to ensure that before serving up an animal head for your pleasure, they’ve removed the eyes. Dig in!

Filled with poison? Deadlier than cyanide? Could kill you within minutes? Let’s eat! The Fugu, or Japanese puffer fish is one of the most lethal items on this list. Incidentally, it’s also one of the most prized items on a Japanese menu. Served in paper thin slices, eating Fugu is like a gastronomic Russian roulette. If you don’t cook it right, your guests are dead-literally! One innocent looking fish contains enough tetrodoxin to kill 30 people. Still, Japanese chefs continue to serve it as a popular dish, oftentimes leaving a small amount of poison to tingle the tastebuds. They say good food is to die for. Who knew the Japanese would take it so literally?

2. Cod Fish Sperm

You have to hand it to the Japanese. When it comes to anything outlandish, they’re bound to be on the list. In fact, they’ve made it to this list twice with their habit of eating not only poisonous fish, but also reproductive excretions. That’s the nicest way we could think of saying sperm. You read that right- the Japanese eat raw or cooked Cod Fish sperm without batting an eye. They consider it absolute luxury to ingest this gelatinous dish, and we’d gladly give them that privilege. In fact, if they would eat it all by themselves without offering us any, we’d be happier than ever!

Fried Brain Sandwich

We promised to bring the most bizarre delicacies from all over the world, and this one certainly fits the bill! Fried Brain Sandwich tops this list for good reason. If you think this dish comes from some obscure country, think again! This delicacy hails straight from the Ohio River Valley in the United States. If the words Hannibal Lecter are crossing your mind right about now, fear not. The brain used in this dish is taken from a calf, battered up and served in a sandwich with some and sautéed onions. Due to the Mad Cow Disease outbreaks, calf brains have been replaced with pig brains, but chefs will assure you- it’s still got the same great taste!